Fence-post



No. 624,724. Patqhted May 9, I899. I. V. ALTER.

FENCE POST.

(Application filed Aug. 11, 1898.) (No Hodl.)

:llllll'lll Ii lw l l u 1 W W MHMMW l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC V. ALTER, OF PARR, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 624,724, dated May 9, 1899.

Application filed August 11, 1898. Serial No. 688,380. (N model.)

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC V. ALTER, residing at Parr, in the county of Jasper and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fences and especially to the posts and means for anchoring the same, and it primarily seeks to provide a post and anchoring means therefor of a very simple and inexpensive character which can be. quickly set up for. use and serve to maintain the post rigid under all changes of weather or seasons.

This invention also comprehends an improved form of fence post and anchoring means therefor, including a peculiar construction of cap or anchoring section which o cannot be materially affected by the thawing or freezing of the ground and which is so connected with the post that the danger of the post drawing up by reason of the contraction or expansion of the earth around it and the cap will be entirely avoided.

This invention therefore consists in certain peculiar construction and combination of parts which I shall first describe in detail and then point out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a fence embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the post and the retaining cap or ring. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. lis a detail view of the anchoring ring or post detached.

Heretofore posts having a cap or anchor piece slidable thereover, in which the cap has a solid top and means wherebyit is made fast to the post, have been provided. This form of post and anchoring-cap I have found from practical use does not effect all the results desired to produceastrong and durable post, for the reason that, especially in cold or semicold seasons, the cap when heated by the sun accumulates an abundance of dampness below it, which in freezing over night, owing to the contraction of the soil below it,frequently draws the post from one-half to three-fourths of an inch in one night, even when the post has a supplemental anchorage at the bottom,

such result being particularly evident when the post is of wood. This movement of the post soon wears on the fastening-tie or anchorage-cap, loosens the post, and in a short while so weakens it as to make it necessary to read 3 ust the cap and fastening means which holds it to the post. To avoid this objectionable result, I provide a post, preferably of metal, comprising an upper part 1, having two or more lateral flanges 1, forming stops and provided with suitable wire-receiving seats or recesses 2 and a lower twisted or auger portion 1 of a length suitable to efiect a solid firm bearing for the post when driven into the ground. I

4 indicates what I term an anchoringring, which differs from the anchoring-caps heretofore provided in that it is provided with a small centrally-arranged solid top portion 4, which is disposed in a horizontal plane, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the acoompanying drawings, and the annular ring 4 proper, which is shown with its sides arranged in avertical plane, maybe inwardlyinclined,

if desired. This ring portion in practice is made from two to four inches high, according to the size of the post to which it is to be fitted, and made of six (more or less) inches in diameter, said ring being cast or pressed, but preferably cast.

The ring 4 has a series of transverse tapering braces of the same width as the ring 4 at the point. Where they connect with it, their inner edges, however, being of a less width and connecting with the inner rim 4 of less width thanthe outer rim.

, At a point inside the rim 4: the anchoring member has a solid top 45, provided with a spiral slot 4* of a size to admit the an ger end of the post being passed therethrough.

In practice the ring is firmly embedded in the ground until its upper end is flush therewith, the flanges serving not alone to hold the ring firm, but also preventing a movement of the post in any direction and keeping it in proper position while it is being driven, it being understood that the posthas its auger end passed through the spiral opening of the top 4 the braces particularly holding the ring from turning against any twist strain effected by the turning of the post as it is forced down through the spiral opening in the top 4..

Bypassing the post through a spiral opening in the solid portion of the auger-ring it is manifest that such spiral opening forms a detent for holding the post from working up through the anchoring-ring, it being also understood that the wire strands will serve to keep the post from turning.

' By providing an open ring the earth at the spiral opening is kept from contact with the post, which post has practically a permanent bearing by reason of its contact with the solid part f of the rim.

By providing an anchoring member having an inner and outer ring and lateral braces the earth under it is cut into sections, and in consequence permitted to freeze and thaw without in the slightest affecting the post, as the post holds the earth from contact with the solid part of the ring, it being obvious that as the anchoring member is practically an open one having no top plate the earth can freely rise and fall, owing to the expansion and contraction by reason/of the change of temperature,without in the slightest drawing up the .said'anchoring member. Thus it will be seen that the anchor will always remain firmly embedded in the earth, no matter whether it is soft on account of heating orsolid on account of the cold. Furthermore, as the anchoring member is open at the top no accumulation of damp can occur, as occurs in the use of anchoring members in the nature of the cap having a solid top. Again, by making the anchoring member open or of a skeleton nature, as shown, the same will be very light in weight and cheap of manufacanchor. It will thus be seen that the use of supplemental fastening devices for securing the anchoring-plate to the post is entirely dispensed with.

8 indicates a stay-post of the ordinary construction, which has the edge notches for the wire, the ends of which are turned up in practice after the wire has been passed into the seats to hold the wire from coming out of such seats.

While I prefer to use a post having an anger or spiral end in connection with my improved anchoring member,yet the same might be used in connection with a post having a straight lower end, as indicated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described, comprising a detachable anchor composed of an outer depending rim, a solid central horizontal portion, and a series of bracing-flanges connect ing the central portion and the rim and forming a skeleton anchoring member, and a fencepost detachably interlocked with the anchor, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described, comprisinga detachable anchor composed of a depending rim, a central horizontal solid top having a spiral opening, and the tapering radial bracing-flanges connecting the rim and the central portion and forming a skeleton member, and a fence-post having a stop to engage the upper face of the central portion and provided with an auger end passing through the spiral opening and detachably interlocked with the anchor, said post being adapted to be retained in engagement with the anchor by i the fencewires, substantially as described. ture, and yet possess an element of strength equal to or greater than that of the cap-like ISAAC v. ALTER.

Witnesses:

L. W. GILLAM, D. B. STEVENS. 

